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On the Defensive: White outshines Blue in Allen's Spring Game
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
The offense wore blue and the defense donned white last Wednesday night during Allen's annual Blue-White Spring Game.
Yet had the scrimmage been scored like a typical game, it would have been White that held a 7-0 lead midway through the third quarter. Chad Adams jumped a route in the third for an interception and a seeming Pick 6 if the play had not been blown dead under the rules of the scrimmage.
Adams' interception wasn't a score, but it was indicative of a night where defense dominated.
One such player getting pressure was Marcus Davis, who registered a sack on starting quarterback Oliver Pierce during the first drive of the game.
"We had a couple of busts up front tonight," said Jeff Fleener, Allen offensive coordinator.
That may have had something to do with a slightly altered offensive line. While the Eagles had Tejan Karoma, named one of the team's most improved in the weight room during the offseason, and John Clark, who set a new program squat record of 580 pounds, Allen was without returning starter Brad North.
"Brad got dinged up Monday," Fleener said. "It's nothing major and we already know what Brad can do, so we just want to keep him healthy."
Davis' sack on the initial drive brought out punter Shane Tripucka, also named one of the team's most improved in the weight room. Tripucka made some people take notice during the Spring Game, particularly the Nevada coach he hit in the head with a punt. The special teams had a solid evening as kicker Carlos Arochi hit 42- and 52-yard field goals in between quarters.
Tripucka stayed busy during a first half filled with punts.
"The offense wasn't really on tonight," Westerberg said. "But part of that could be because this is the first really windy day we've had during spring practices."
There might have been another reason for the seemingly sluggish offense.
"There are a lot of scouts out here tonight," Fleener said, "so we are keeping things extra vanilla."
Among those scouting last Wednesday night's festivities was Southlake Carroll head coach Hal Wasson. Allen begins the season Aug. 31 against the Dragons to open up the Eagles' new stadium.
Those watching saw some offensive cohesion in the first half. That included the night's first big play, a pass over the middle from Connor Greenberg to Troy Knudsen, and the half's best drive, a ground-centric attack split between Pierce and running back Marcus Ward.
But it wasn't until the final quarter and a half that the Eagles offense really got going.
Jeff Harris helped those efforts. The returning running back, who won the award for best all-around offseason during the pre-game, made plenty of plays last Wednesday, including a 60-yard run that was negated due to a holding call.
And making plays is what the Blue-White Game is all about.
"Spring practices let you show the coaches what you can do," said Jonathan Williams, former Allen starting running back and Arkansas signee. "But the Spring Game lets you show the fans what you can do and gets you ready for the season with that actual game environment."
That game environment featured its first points with 1:57 remaining in the third.
Pierce, an adept scrambler, frequently saw his attempts to run the ball stymied as there was a quick whistle when contact was made with the quarterback. That changed in the third quarter though as Pierce started running more and moved his team down the field with a drive that culminated in a 3-yard touchdown keeper.
Greenberg, Allen's presumptive backup quarterback, connected on an 11-yard scoring pass to Joel Miller with 8:27 remaining in the fourth quarter for the night's other touchdown.
The Blue-White Game was Allen's 16th practice of the spring with the Eagles hitting the field again last Thursday and Friday before breaking for summer programs.
"The summer is always important for our guys," Fleener said. "And we have some inexperience, so this will be a big summer for our guys to get bigger and better physically."
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